The
first history of the Davis Family is in the name of Carter.The 1870 U.S. Census for Georgia
revealed the following information:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupation

Carter,
GilbertHusband33Farm
Worker

Carter,
Sarah AnnWife30House
Keeper

Carter,
ColemanSon14Farm
Worker

Carter,
MelviniaDaug12Farm
Worker

Carter,
AaronSon8

Carter,
JamesSon6

Carter,
MillyDaug9/12

The
Carter Family lived in GordonCountyGeorgia.The
census indicated they were all born in Georgiaand that they were farmer.Coleman
was the oldest child born in 1865.

The
1880 U.S. Census for Georgia
reveals a very interesting details about the Carter Family.They have now moved to a neighboring countyMurray
and have changed their name to Davis.

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupation*BP

Davis,
GilbertHusband50FarmerGA

Davis,
Sarah AnnWife48House
KeeperGA

Davis,
Malvinia
Daug22Farm
LaborerGA

Davis,
AaronSon17Farm
LaborerGA

Davis,
JamesSon14Farm
LaborerGA

Davis,
Sarah AnnDaug10At
HomeGA

Davis,
Henry WmGrandson3At HomeGA

*BP
- means birth place

Coleman
is no longer in the household and the family lived in the Military
District
#825 Ball Ground area.Malvinia has a
son now listed in the household, Henry William whose race is listed as
mulatto.Which was a term used to
describe persons of mixed races.Oral
history provided by Matthew Davis tells us his William Henry (Will)
father was
the former white slave owner named Carterís son.

The
1880 U.S. Census indicated that Coleman was married and now lived in Troup County, Georgia.He had started a family and his occupation
was farming.His household consisted of:

NameAgeHouseholdStatusOccupation
BP

Davis,
Coleman25HusbandFarmerGA

Davis , Georgia
22WifeHousekeeperGA

Davis,
Ella5DaugAt
HomeGA

Davis,
Nettie3DaugAt
HomeGA

Davis, Mosie1DaugAt
HomeGA

Both
Coleman and Georgia could read and write.

*There is no U.S. Census for 1890 it burned in
a fire and no copies were made.

Sometime
between 1890 and 1900 oral history reported by Matthew Davis stated
that
Coleman came to Arkansas
with his nephew Will Davis, niece and nephew Lulaand
her brother Jupiter(?) Wiley to AshleyCounty,
Arkansas.The story goes that Willísfather gave him land in Arkansas to settle
but Will didnít like Arkansas, the work of clearing the land and
establishing a
homestead was too difficult for him so he gave the land to Coleman and
his
other relatives and he returned to Georgia.

The
1900 U.S. Census
for MurrayCountyGeorgia indicates that
Gilbert and his family still reside there.He is still farming.

BirthMarried

NameHousehold StatusAgeMO/YR#
of YrsOccupation

Davis,
GilbertHusband683/183245Farmer

Davis,
Sarah AnnWife6410/183545House Keeper

Davis,
MalviniaDaug418/1858Farm Laborer

Davis,
AaronSon379/1862Farm Laborer

Davis,
WillieGrandson214/1879Farm Laborer

James
and Sarah Ann are out of the household.This census also gives the number of years in marriage and the
month and
year of birth.Gilbert and Sarah Ann had
been married for approximately forty-five years which gives them a year
of
marriage as 1855.

The
1900 U.S. Census
also revealed that James had started
his own family and had moved to Bartow County, Georgia.His household consisted of the following
individuals:

NameAgeHouseholdStatusOccupation BP

Davis,
James35Husband4/1865GA

Davis,
Mattie30Wife4/1870GA

Davis,
Maude10Daug1/1890GA

NameAgeHouseholdStatusOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
Alva8Daug7/1891GA

Davis,
Willard6Son7/1893GA

Davis,
James4Son1/1896GA

Davis,
Mary2Daug1/1898GA

Obey,
Eliza54Mother-in
law3/1846GA

Davis,
George28Brother-in-law1/1872GA

This
family is living in Cartersville,
Georgia
in the
Militia Army District #822.

The
1910 U.S. Census
indicates that Gilbert Davis and his
family were still in Murray
county, Georgia.The family consisted of
the following individuals:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
GilbertHusband78FarmerGA

Davis,
Sarah AnnWife77House
KeeperGA

Davis,
MalviniaDaug51Farm
LaborerGA

Their
occupation is still listed as farming.

The
1910 U.S.
Census
indicates that Aaron lives down theroad
from his father and has started his owned family.He
and his family are engaged in farming
also.His household consisted of the
following individuals:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
AaronHusband47FarmingGA

Davis,
MahaliaWife43House
keeperGA

Davis,
WalterSon19FarmingGA

Davis,
JasperSon17FarmingGA

Davis,
CharleySon13FarmingGA

Davis,
GilbertSon4At HomeGA

White,
EasterGranddaughter9At
HomeGA

White,
SusanGranddaughter9At
HomeGA

James
and his family did not appear on the 1910 U.S. Census.Their location is unknown at this time.

The
1920 U.S. Census
for MurrayCountyGeorgia
indicated that the Davis
Family was still residing in the same location.Gilbert is now deceased and Melvinia is the head of household.Aaronísson Charley is now living with his aunt and grandmother Melvinia
and her
mother Sarah Ann.

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
MelviniaHead of Household/Single56FarmingGA

Davis,
Sarah AnnWife/Wd85House
KeeperGA

Davis, CharleyNephew/Single22Farm
LaborerGA

It
appears Melvinia never married and has always lived with her parents.They are still farming rented land.

Aaron
Davis and family still live in the same community and several of their
children
have moved out of the household.Aaronís household consisted of the following individuals:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
AaronHusband47FarmingGA

Davis,
MahaliaWife43House
keeperGA

Davis,
GilbertSon15FarmingGA

Davis,
SrynaGranddaughter19Keeping
houseGA

Everyone
in the household could read and write.The community in which they lived is Carters, Georgia.They are farming rented land.His son Charley was living with his sister
and mother during this time.

Also,
on the 1920 U.S. Census Will Davis appears with his family.They are living in Carters Community and
farming rented land also.The household
consisted of the following individuals:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth Place

Davis, WillHusband44FarmingGA

Davis,
CarolineWife42Keeping
HouseGA

Davis,
AssieDaug12At
HomeGA

DavisPaulineDaug10At
HomeGA

Davis,
LauraDaug8At HomeGA

Davis,
HughSon6At HomeGA

Davis,
WilliamSon2 At.
HomeGA

Everyone
in the household could read and write.

Coleman
Davis and his family did not appear on the any other Gerogia Census
since the
1880.

Arkansas Heritage

Coleman
Davis appears on the 1900 U.S. Census in Arkansas.He
is living in the BastropTownship in AshleyCounty.
His household consisted of the following individualsĒ

NameHousehold StatusAgeDOBOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
ColemanHusband4312/1856FarmerGA

Davis,
MattieWife3412/1865At HomeAR

Davis,
JosephSon81/1892At HomeAR

Davis,
GilbertSon48/1895At HomeAR

Davis,
EmmaDaug31/1897At HomeAR

Wiley,
LulaNiece112/1889At HomeGA

They
were living in the small community named Wilmot, Arkansas.Both of Mattieís parents were born in Alabama.The Davis Family was engaged in farming
rented land in Ashley County, Arkansas.*Coleman married Mattie Allen on
March 3, 1887 according to the Davis
Family Bible.

This
was Colemanís second marriage and Mattieís first.Mattie
had had four children only three were
living at the time of the census.Colemanís niece from Georgia
was also in the household.

The
1910 U.S. Census
for AshleyCountyArkansas
indicated several changes had taken place in the Davis household.Mattie died on June 7, 1908 and Coleman had
remarried.Lula Wiley had married Jeff
Watkins in 1906 and started her own family.The family is still farming on renting farm land.The following individuals were listed in the
household:

NameHousehold StatusAgeDOBOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
ColemanHusband5412/1856FarmerGA

Davis,
CassieWife5212/1854At HomeAR

Davis,
JosephSon181/1892FarmingAR

Davis,
GilbertSon148/1895FarmingAR

Davis,
EmmaDaug131/1897FramingAR

Davis, MatthewSon912/12/00FarmingAR

Davis,
BobSon610/13/03At HomeAR

Davis,
MattieDaug305/13/06At HomeAR

The
1910 U. S. Census for AshleyCounty indicated
that
Lula and Jeff Watkins were married and had two daughters.They were also living in Wilmot, AR.The household consisted of the following
individuals:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth Place

Watkins,
JeffHusband32FarmingAR

Watkins,
LulaWife20At
HomeGA

Watkins,
AterbellDaug1AR

Watkins, GeorgiaDaug2/12AR

Jeff
Watkins had been married previously and this was the first marriage for
Lula.Both of Jeff Watkinsís parents
were born in Louisiana.

The
1920 U.S. Census indicated that the Davis Family has now moved to Lincoln County, Arkansas,
they are located in the Wells Bayou community.Coleman has four children still at home.His third wife Cassie Allen has died.The household consisted of the following individuals:

NameHousehold StatusAgeDOBOccupationBirth Place

Davis,
ColemanHusband5412/1856FarmerGA

Davis,
EmmaDaug131/1897FramingAR

Davis, MatthewSon912/12/00FarmingAR

Davis,
BobSon610/13/03At HomeAR

Davis,
MattieDaug305/13/06At HomeAR

Everyone
in the household could read and write.They were engaged in farming and they were renting the land.

Joseph
Davis, Colemanís
oldest son also appears on the 1920 U.S. Census living next
door to his
father.He is married to Maggie Thurman
from Louisiana.
They were also farming rented land also.The household consisted of the following individuals:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth
Place

Davis,
JosephHusband31FarmerAR

Davis,
MaggieWife32At HomeLA

Davis,
EmmaStepdaughter12At HomeAR

Everyone
in the household could read and write.

Gilbert
Davis was living next door to Joseph Davis who lived next door to
Coleman
Davis.He was also involved in
farming.Everyone of age of the
household could read and write.The
household consisted of the following:

NameHousehold StatusAgeOccupationBirth
Place

Davis,
GilbertHusband24FarmerAR

Davis,
LillieWife23At HomeGA

Davis,
EarnestSon6At HomeAR

Davis,
OlaDaug2At HomeAR

Lillie
was born in Georgia
and both
of both parents were both in Georgia.

The
1920 U.S. Census for LincolnCounty indicated
that
Lula Watkins was now married to Charles Price.She is now living in the Cane Creek Community.Everyone in the household could read and
write.Mr. Price owned his land and was
engaged in farming.The following
individuals were listed as household members:

Price,
CharlesHusband50FarmingAR

Price,
LulaWife31At HomeGA

Watkins,
Ollie BStep Daug11At HomeAR

Watkins,
ThelmaStep Daug10At HomeAR

Watkins,
JeffStep Son7At HomeAR

Watkins,
SusieStep Daug4At
HomeAR

Watkins,
TommieStep
Son1At HomeAR

Oral
history provided by Matthew Davis of Gould,
Arkansas indicated that Lula is the
daughter of Sarah Ann
Davis, Colemanís Baby sister in Georgia.She also had a brother Jupiter Wiley who also
lived in Wilmot, AR.Lula had one more child, Charles Price Jr. born around 1922.Lula died in childbirth on April 6,
1925.She is buried in LibertyCemetery
in Coal Spur, AR.

The
1930 U.S. Census indicates the Davis
were still a close family.They all
resided in Wells Bayou in LincolnCounty